Choices
by melos53
Summary: 5 years after the Battle of Hogwarts, Pamela Salazar doesn't expect to hear or see from Draco again. But what happened when she does? Does her world come crashing down?


**My second fic which has also been sitting in my note pad on my phone. This I've been playing with for sometime now. I went back and forth and decided it's best to do a post Hogwarts and just include flashbacks.**

**Hope you enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing besides my OC**

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**5 years later.**

She flooed to the Ministry of Magic just like she did Monday through Friday for the past 4 years.

She said her polite hellos to everyone in the office and made her way to her office.

Normally she would have taken two minutes of the morning to go through the Daily Profit but the pile on her desk made her reconsider.

Before she was even allowed to take a sip of her coffee and stare at the first ledger she heard a knock on her door. With a questioning expression she replied.

"Come in."

Lucius Malfoy walked in looking as elegant as per usual. For a man his age he wore it very well.

"Sorry to interrupt your busy morning Pamela, but I was trying to catch you as soon as you came in."

"Lucius, is everything okay? Is Narcisa alright?"

"Oh yes she is quiet well, I am here on her behave actually, she wants to apologize. She will not be able to make your traditional Tuesday lunch today."

He glances at the unopened Daily Profit sitting on her desk and stiffens up a bit.

"That's quite alright, you tell her I am always free for her. She didn't have to bother you with such a message."

"Well of course, but we both know Narcisa, she wouldn't have it any other way. However I am afraid that this isn't the only thing she send me to deliver." He paused for what seemed an eternity. "I see you haven't opened the paper this morning."

She glances at the untouched paper and back at Luicus.

"No time so far, I would eventually have gotten too it. Is there something I should have seen by now?"

The collar around him felt slightly tight and he didn't know how to present the next information to her.

"Just so you know; she wanted it to come from us first. She wanted me to make sure even if you did read the paper that we would tell you as well. Draco got engaged last night, and it's made the front page."

She stopped breathing.

The office around her suddenly became smaller, and she felt stuck with no where to go and no air to breathe.

"Pamela? Are you alright?"

She regain her composure quickly and smiled at the man in front of her.

"Yes, congratulations to you and your family. I am sure you and Narcisa are both thrilled. You tell her we can reschedule whenever she is free. Though I am sure she will be quite busy now that this happened."

She forced a dazzling smile, that was so convincing expect for the moment of silence she had given him prior.

He hesitated for a minute before deciding it was probably best she be left alone.

"Thank you for your kind words, and sorry to have interrupted your morning."

She got up from her chair.

"Not a problem at all Lucius, it's always a pleasure. You give my love and congratulations to Narcisa."

He glances at her one more time, giving her a warm smile and she closes the door. Sprinting back go her desk she takes the paper and stares at the front page.

Malfoy heir, engaged to French socialite Jacquelyn Dubois.

Right below the headline was a beautiful blonde with perfect teeth and bright blue eyes, a massive sparkling diamond ring adorned her thin manicured finger. She gazed loving to a handsome blonde.

She stared at his picture. And the rest of the world no longer existed. It's been 5 years since she had managed to avoid his picture on the papers. And he looked ever so handsome as he did when they where in Hogwarts together, expect he looked older, wiser. He wasn't the same brat he once was. The war had matured him. In front of her no longer was a naive boy, but a full grown man.

She didn't notice when the door to her office opened, or even when it shut closed. She awoken from her trance when Hermione spoke.

"Pamela?"

She quickly looked up and saw Ron, Hermione, and Harry all starting at her with worried expressions.

"I didn't hear you guys come in." She replied in a bare whisper.

"We just wanted to see of you're alright." Replied Harry. "Lucuis stopped by my desk said he told you."

She wanted to throw up. Mustering whatever ill cheeriness she could conjure she looks up to her friends and replies.

"I am fine, just didn't expect to see Malfoy's face on the paper this morning. Bit unexpected really. But I am great. It was a long time ago. He moved on I moved on. It's all great."

No one bought it. Not one minute of it.

"So, did you guys see it after or before Lucius sprung the news to the entire office."

Ron suddenly found great intrest in a book of Magical Law she had on her shelve and Harry was staring at the floor like it would produce cauldron cakes at any moment.

"You still keep in touch with Zabini don't you?" Questioned Hermione.

"Yeah we owl each other once in a while nothing special, haven't seen him in person for over 4 years actually. Why?"

"Oh..."

"Can someone just tell me what the hell I am missing!"

Ron looked up a bit frighten but he spoke next. "Uhhh, we just thought he would have told you first actually. We didn't think you would have found out because of Malfoy Sr."

"Why would you assume he would te..." suddenly it dawned to her. "YOU ALL BLOODY KNEW ALREADY DIDN'T YOU! YOU KNEW SINCE BEFORE THIS MORNING!"

At that Hermione looked down to the floor, she looked as though she was going to cry that Pamela found it quite amusing.

"Pamela," said Harry, "its not like that, I mean yeah we knew and we thought Blasie would tell you since you guys are friends and talked. We only found out when we got there, Ginny had an invitation that Draco gave us for a party last night, we didn't..."

"You where actually there last night? And you waited till this morning to tell me?"

"I...we...uh, Pamela we just thought it was a party. We didn't know he was going to propose, he's best friends with Ginny and her boss at that, we just...sorry."

Her stomach turned and she was definitely going to puke now. After what seems like forever she replies in a much softer voice. The last thing she wanted from her friends was pity, that's all that this was going to get her. She noticed it when Lucius when he arrived and she knew this is why Narcisa send him over.

She was alone, she had been for since before the war waiting for things to get back on track. Except everyone around her moved on. Everyone but her.

"It's...fine. Really, I am happy for them. And I actually need to get back to work. So if you don't mind."

The 3 of them looked at each other and slowly made there way to the door.

"Pamela? I am going to make dinner tonight, Harry and Ginny will be joining us, you should come too." Hermione spoke softly.

"Thanks, but I have a lot of work to do as you can see. Maybe next week alright Mione?"

"Yes of course whenever" she smiled softly.

The trio exist and for the first time in 3 years she cried.

〰️

Draco awoke much later that usual. He didn't even know why he bothered staying in bed because he didn't get a wink of sleep the night before.

He couldn't shake the feeling that how he was currently feeling isn't what a newly engaged person should feel.

3 months ago when he flooed his mother about his idea to proposed to Jacquelyn, his mother asked him if he was really sure.

The problem was that he wasn't. He had been with her for almost 3 years. This is what a respectable pureblood heir is supposed to do. And what better woman than her.

He stared at the blonde next too him and he couldn't deny that she was breathtaking. So why was he feeling this way?

He slowly moved his arm from the sleeping girl, and quietly walked to his dresser. He opened and a smirk was bought to his face. Inside he eyed his old quitiched uniform. Running his hand down the robes he eyed a brown plain box on the floor of the dresser.

Wondering why his mother hadn't bothered throwing everything away he bend down and picked it up. Jacquelyn stirred in bed and he quickly made his way out the room to not wake her and went to his father's study to further investigate what contained in the box.

Opening the lid his heart stopped beating. The first thing inside was an old picture of a smiling Draco in what looked like the beginning of 4th year at Hogwarts. He held an arm around a petite, but beautiful brunette who was staring at him with love and laughter. It was the summer after they finally decided to start dating publicly. He remembers because he flaunted her for the first few days of school. That he had managed to get himself the hottest girl in school. Back before everything turned to shit.

He sighed and put the photo back in the box. Inside he found a few more memorable keeps. Pamela's Slytherin scarf which still smelled like her expensive perfume which he was sure she bewitched. A old poem book he had stolen from her, a broken snake necklace that she wore for the Yule Ball and a letter she had written to him before the start of the war.

He suddenly felt guilt that he forgotten the box, and especially the letter. He carefully opened it up.

_Draco,_

_I hope this letter finds you well. Hermione helped me enchanted it so that if you do decide to rip it before looking at it, it will repair itself and you'll be forced to read it._

_I really do hope that you decide too._

_By now you probably know I am not returning to Hogwarts. _

_All my life I've been taught to stay unnoticed, to conform around my surroundings. But it is not in my nature to do so._

_I love you Draco Lucius Malfoy, more than the air that I breathe, you will always be a part of my heart and my life. And because of this love I so greatly have for you I have decided to fight for what you don't believe in; for what you don't agree with._

_You've told me before that by not being by your side that I do not truly love you. But my love, you've never been more wrong in your entire life. It is because I do that I have left. In hopes that someday the world would be a better place and that we continue our lives together in peace._

_If we do make it out alive, I want you to know that I am sorry and that I forgive you. I know you did what you did to protect the ones you love. Just know I am sorry for the pain I've caused you, sorry if you think I have abandoned you. Sorry if you feel I never picked you. But know I pick you every single time._

_Yours truly,_  
_Mel_

He read this 3 times before crumpling the paper up.

The enchantment must have worn away because he recalled so vidly the first time he found this letter that it smoothed itself out.

Feeling guilty, he picked it back up and flattened it as best he could and put it inside the box and closed the lid.

Why had his mother kept this? And why had he forgotten about this?

He sighs. What the hell was he going to do now.

〰️

The day was excruciatingly slow.

It was nearing the end of the work day, and her last thing for today was go over legal documents with Minister Shacklebolt and she could try to forget about today.

She took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

A deep voice answered "come in"

"Minister good evening, sorry to bother you but I wanted to go over some stuff before the days end."

"Pamela you know you're never a bother. You already do more for the department than other people. You know Delphine will retire in a few years and you will take over, that is if you want too. You are destine to do great things here."

She felt her cheeks redden a bit. "I really do hope so Minister. I've always dreamt of that and I am just glad you are happy with my performance."

"Well of course we are, now let's go over what you have so you can get home."

〰️

She appararated in front of the Hogs Head and the rain almost soaked her wet. Running quickly inside she was relieved that the weather had kept a lot of patrons home today because she managed to find herself sitting in a quite corner of the bar.

Why she decided to go to the Hogs head and not the leaky cauldron or one of the more famous "cocktail bars" she often went too was beyond her. She would admit that today she missed the castle not too far away from Hogsmead and she did need a bit of reminiscing.

"Either I am getting old or is that you Pamela?" Abeforth Dumbledore spoke to her. His resemblance to her former headmaster was striking.

"Please Abe, you haven't age a day! How are you old friend?"

He laughed, "doing great, haven't seen your lot around for a while now. You're all big shots now and don't come visit anymore."

"Oh Abe, you know know we love it here, but everyone is so busy we barely make time for each other. Since Harry got engaged and Ron & Hermione followed it's hard to get us all in the same room."

His eyes did a little twinkle so familiar to Dumbledore. "And you my dear? Have you finally found your special someone."

Her stomach turned a bit, "you know me, too busy trying to be Minster of Magic, don't have time for love." She joked.

"Ay, but it wouldn't be such bad thing either. Tell you what, the day you meet the one you bring him here and drinks on me."

"You got it, talking about drinks; can I get double firewhisky straight please? Had a long day."

"Coming right up" Abeforth pulled a bottle 3/4 of the way full and poured her drink.

"Abe just leave the bottle so I don't bother you, here." She pulled out a few gallons, more than what the whole bottle is actually worth and hesitantly left the bottle and a glass.

She pours herself a sizable amount of firewhisky and it slowly burns her throat and insides. Realizing then that the only thing she has had all day was a sip of coffee since Lucius showed up.

For the last 3 years she felt that life was finally heading towards the right direction. It wasn't necessarily the one she had envisioned for herself but nevertheless it was quite decent one.

At her age she was deputy head of The Department of Magical law enforcement and was rumored to be on the track to be one of the few female and youngest minster ever.

She didn't date, she barely went out and after the first 2 years when the war ended, she started to focus on herself and her career. She hasn't looked back since. But she also never expected to see his face plastered on the paper.

All around her people moved forward, and she did too or so she thought she did.

_Flashback _

_Chaos surrounds her, bodies all round Hogwarts grounds, at this point there was no telling who was on whose side._

_She aimlessly fires spells hoping it hits who it should, the only thing on her mind was finding him._

_"Draco! DRACO!" screaming at the top of her lungs but it felt as though nothing was being said. The destruction around her was too much, but in all it's madness she found his blonde hair sticking out._

_With all her strength she ran towards him and he too her and once they reached each other neither wanted to let go._

"PAMELA! for Merlin's sake, PAMELA!"

All she felt was a gush of icy cold water and when she managed to grab her wand and point it ay the culprit she saw Hermione arms crossed.

"What in the bloody hell 'Mione, was that necessary?

"I'll say indeed it was since you're still home and you should have been at work an hour ago."

"Whattt!" Frantically Pamela performs a drying spell, a cleaning spell, and a few beauty spells to seal the deal. She was never late, never.

Tripping on a few empty bottles on the floors she tries to accio her shoes and begins her search of the hangover potion.

"Here" Hermione throws her a small vial.

"Hermione your a Goddess" she quickly chugs it down and walks towards the floo. She then notices that Hermione doesn't follow her

"Are you staying or are you going to work?"

"Before we go, I want to know what's going on. Is this going to become an issue again Pamela? Because if so then we all need to sit down and talk. It isn't like before where we went to school, so you can be pissed drunk in the common room, you've got a career now, responsibilities, and this isn't the solution to the problem."

"And may I ask, what exactly do you think the _problem_ is Granger."

Hermione winces at her tone and being called by her last name, "It's no coincidence that on the day Draco's engagement became public that you decided to go on a firewhisky binge."

"Now let me explain something something to you" she strides towards Hermonie, "don't stand there pretending to understand anything about me when you're going to marry the guy you've been fawning over since we've met. And for the damnn record, I wasn't drinking because of him."

And with that she stepped into the floo.

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**Until next time. xoxo**


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